Improved washing-machine



UNITED STATESs SALEM T. LAMB, OF NEW WASHINGTON, INDIANA.

lMPRovED WASHING-MACHINE.

l Specification forming part of.' Letters Patent No. 42,089, datedMarch 29, 1864.

To afZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, SALEM T. LAMB, of New'Washington, in the county of Clark and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the fol lowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, making a part of this speciiicaton, in which- .Figure 1 represents an elevation of the machine from one of its sides, showing in red lines the rubber and its frame as raised up and swung around out of the way to gain easy access to the tub for placing, removing, or. rinsing the clothes to be Washed. Fig.' 2 represents a top plan of the rubber. Fig. 3 represents a plan of the open lattice or grating in the bottom of the tub,to form, in connection with the rubber, the washing-surfaces. Fig.4 represents the manner of constructing the hook-connections for the pitman-rods, so that any wear or backlash may be taken up by them, and cause the machine to work smoothly and noiselessly.

Similar letters o f reference where they oecur in the separate iigurcs denote like parts of the machine in all the drawings.

To enable others skilled inthe art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A represents a stand for holding the tub, rubber, andthe appliances for operating them. The tub B has a spindle, C, secured to its bottom, w hich passes through the upper horizontal piece of the stand and sets in a step in the lower one, so that it may be freely oscillated on said spindle.

Over the two upright posts ofthe stand er frame is passed the frame D, which carries the rubbing-disk E, it being secured thereto by its shaft F, which allows it to riseand fall to accommodate itself to the bulk of 'clothes in the tub. The frame D can alsofise and fall, to raise or lower the rubbingfi'isk E if necessary.

G is a treadle, hung toa central shaft, H, so that it may be freely locked on or with said shaft, the shaft being supported -at a b, as shown.

I is a three armed lever, pivoted to the frame or stand A at' c. The armI constitutesahandle,

which the operator may seize to work or to aid in working the rubbers, and it is attached to the shaft F of the rubber E by a rod, d, so as to turn said shaft or rubber, the rod being linked to the` end of an arm, J lprojecting from said shaft, for this purpose. The arm 2 is connected to the treadle G by a rod, e, and the arm 3 is connected to the tub B by a rod, f, sov that whether the treadle alone or the lever I alone lbe used, or whether both be used, the tub will oscillate in one direction, while the rubber E will oscillate in the opposite direction.

The operator may'stand with both feet on the trcadle--onc foot at or near each end of it-and, catching hold of the high post A' et' the frame or stand with the left hand to steady himself or herself and of the lever 1 (or I) with the right hand, the machine can be set in motion and easily worked by the feet and right hand together, or by either separately,

as above mentione In or on the bottom and inside of theft-Iii) is placed the latticed or slatted bottomA K, which, as well'as the rubber E, being-Of open work, allows the water or suds tof-fffeely per. meate through the clothes as tlg-e two are' 0s. cillated in the act of washing,

The frame D, flill'ymgtie rubber E, can be raised up on the high 'post A', wher@ ii; is caught by all lllllbIQ-la or other spring g, and then it may be -swu'ng out ot' the way, as shown by the r'e'd lines in Fig. 1, for putting in, or for taking out, or for rinsing the clothes in the Same tub in which they were washed.

Thntfthe machine may work freely and Without noise,consequent on the wearin g of the links or rods d e f, or by the hooks to which they are respectively attached, or by both, I arrange as follows: The hooks h, Fig. 4, have but one long shank, which passes through a washer, i, thence through the arm I, and is fastened by a nut, j. The short arm of the hook also passes through the washer i, thence into a hole bored into but not through said arm, as shown atm. By this construction and arrangement, should any ofthe rods get too loose, so as to cause backlash or noise, the nuts j may be run up until all work smoothly, and thus avoid both.

The ring n around the rubber E prevents it from working too close to the bottom K or from injuring the clothes.

The feet L of the frame are braced by the lower horizontal pieces, A M, which 'extend out farenough to form a support for the treadle G, and from these feet aisorise inclined braces, which meet et the point c, where the lever I is pivoted, thus making a substantial freine as well :1s-'a firm support for the lever I.

Having thus fully described the construction und operation of my machine, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of' a, tnb and rubber, constructed, arranged, and operating together forth. t 2. The suspending of the rubber-iiisk'E and its frame D on the high post A by eens of a spring-catch, g, when used for the purpose l,

P SALEM '.I. fLAMB,

W'itnesses: i.

B. CAMPBELL, JOHN BOWER.

as herein described, and for the fiirpose v:set 

